Queen Camilla is forced to withdraw from weekly engagements including Olympic reception and Remembrance event after falling ill with a chest infection
Queen Camilla has been forced to cancel her upcoming public appearances after a nasty respiratory infection left her in the lurch.
The 77-year-old royal is reportedly recovering at home in Wiltshire and is being monitored by doctors.
It means Her Majesty had to reluctantly withdraw from the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance in Westminster Abbey on Thursday.
As the daughter of decorated war hero Major Bruce Shand, who earned two military crosses for his bravery in World War II, it is her duty that she fulfills with utmost zeal and will be seen as a sign of how bad she feels.
The Duchess of Gloucester, 78, will replace her.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla on a beach in Apia during their trip to Samoa on October 25
Queen Camilla waves as she boards a Royal Australian Air Force plane before taking off from Faleolo Airport in Samoa following the royal visit to Australia and Samoa on October 26
King Charles and Queen Camilla attend a welcome ceremony in Apia, Samoa on October 24
However, she is very much hoping to attend this weekend’s commemorative events, including the ceremony at the Cenotaph on Sunday.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: ‘Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a respiratory infection for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.
‘It is with great regret that Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her commitments for this week, but she very much hopes that she will recover in time to attend this weekend’s commemorative events as normal.
“She apologizes to anyone who may experience any inconvenience or disappointment as a result.”
Camilla will also have to cancel her appearance at a Buckingham Palace reception honoring the country’s Olympic and Paralympic stars next Thursday.
King Charles III will still be present, accompanied by his sister Princess Anne.
Georges Maniuri from Vanatu presents his credentials to the King at Buckingham Palace today
Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani of Qatar presented his credentials today
Rajendre Khargi of Suriname presents his credentials to Charles at Buckingham Palace today
The Queen returned to Britain on October 30 after a busy official overseas trip to Australia and Samoa with the monarch, including a three-day stopover in India on the way back.
No further details have been released about her illness or treatment, but Camilla is reportedly under a doctor’s care.
Meanwhile, the King continued with his duties today and held the credentials for three visitors to Buckingham Palace.
He hosted Qatar’s Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani; Rajendre Khargi of Suriname; and Georges Maniuri of Vanuatu.
The update comes after a year of difficult health issues for the royal family, with both the King and Princess of Wales diagnosed with cancer.
It comes ahead of a new ITV documentary in which Camilla vows she will ‘keep trying’ to end domestic violence until she ‘can’t anymore’.
The Duchess of Gloucester stepped in to attend a memorial event at Westminster Abbey on Thursday. Camilla is pictured with her at Buckingham Palace on February 22
Camilla says in the film, which will be shown on November 11, that domestic abuse is a ‘heinous crime’ and that she is determined to continue raising awareness of the issue.
The Queen was followed for a year on the show which highlighted her work in this area, including private meetings with survivors and a visit to a shelter.
About ending domestic violence, Camilla said on the program ‘Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors’ that it is “going to take a very, very long time because it has been going on forever.”
She continued, “It’s been going since, since time began. But I think if you look at the strides we’ve made since the bad old days, we’ve made tremendous progress, and I’ll keep trying until I’m no longer able to.”
Meanwhile, Prince William is on a four-day visit to South Africa to promote his environmental Earthshot Prize, which holds its annual awards ceremony tomorrow in Cape Town.
Today William took in the views of Cape Town’s famous Table Mountain as he met park rangers at Signal Hall – and later met South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.